“Israel” has begun rationing its most advanced missile interceptors as Iranian barrages continue daily, exposing gaps in the occupation's air-defense systems even four weeks into the ongoing war on Iran.
Recent Iranian ballistic missiles struck Dimona and Arad after “Israel” failed to intercept them with modified versions of lower-tier munitions, highlighting the limits of its defensive capacity.
The strikes, which occurred hours apart on Saturday night, hit areas near one of the most heavily protected sites in the region, the nuclear research facility near Dimona in the Naqab desert.
The Israeli military admitted that Iranian ballistic missiles penetrated its defense systems despite failed attempts to intercept them, raising concerns about the reliability of its multilayered shield.
Reliance on less-capable munitions
Facing dwindling stocks of top-tier Arrow interceptors, “Israel” has increasingly relied on upgraded versions of its David’s Sling system—originally designed for shorter-range threats—to target larger, longer-range missiles. Success has been inconsistent.
“The number of interceptors of every type is finite,” said Tal Inbar, senior analyst at the U.S.-based Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. “You have to make more careful calculations about what to use.”
With more than 400 Iranian missiles and hundreds of drones launched since the war began, combined with dozens of projectiles fired daily by Hezbollah, “Israel” faces continuous pressure on its defense network.
Layered defense systems under strain
"Israel’s" air defense network includes multiple systems:
Iron Dome: Designed for short-range threats
David’s Sling: Targets medium-range missiles
Arrow 2 and Arrow 3: Intended for ballistic missile interception
THAAD (US system): Deployed to enhance long-range interception
Stockpiles of Arrow interceptors were already diminished following the 12-day war on Iran, and the current barrage is depleting them further. Modified lower-tier systems are being stretched beyond their intended design, with mixed effectiveness.
Settlers impacted, running to shelters
The Iranian missile that struck Dimona, home to “Israel’s” main nuclear facility, and another that hit Arad, have alarmed Israeli settlers, prompting them to race to shelters.
One reported to the WSJ that Israelis are "reminded every few hours with warnings on the phone and new sirens and blasts."
Other Gulf countries, including the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, are also requesting interceptors from the US, which has supplied counterdrone systems.
Global supply strains
Interceptor shortages are not limited to “Israel.” U.S. systems such as THAAD, deployed to defend allies in the region, face stockpile constraints and long production cycles. One THAAD system in Jordan was destroyed during Iranian strikes in the early days of the war, NDTV reported, citing a US official.
“We are vaporizing many years of production in the last couple weeks,” said Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “Even if we completely maximize production with the forthcoming missions ramp, which we need to, it will still be many years before we replace what was just used.”
Analysts warn that this model of war is unsustainable, with global consequences for other theaters, including Ukraine, where similar air-defense resources may face shortages.
The Washington Post on Thursday reported that the United States is reviewing the possibility of diverting weapons originally designated for Ukraine to West Asia, as the ongoing war on Iran continues to drain key ammunition reserves.
Citing three sources familiar with the matter, the report said no final decision has been taken. However, the move under consideration could involve reallocating interceptor missiles that NATO countries had ordered for Kiev under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) framework.
“These are scarce national resources, and we need them for other parts of the world,” Karako added. “That’s not something that we can keep doing.”
Source:Websites
